Hydraulic rotary underreamer



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areadil'y lowered through a well easing in a contracted position into the well hole and 'then expanded into .an operative roaming position @ther objects and advantages will be apto parent in the following specification, referenee being had to the accompanying drawing iorrning a part thereof, in which:

l is a vertical section through a portion ot an oil well with a easing in the upper l end, the reaming tool being illustrated in connection with a drilling bit.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l showing the bit replaced with the reaxner expanding element in an inoperative position being lowlll ered through the easing.

L its su.

IF 3 is a view similar to the foregoing showing the reanier lowered below the easing with the expanding element in an operative position.

lllig. l is a side elevation oit the reamer eX- panding element.

ltlig. 5 is a cross section through the expanding element talren on line 5-5 ot' Fig. l.

ln an embodiment ol the invention disl closed herein9 designates a cylindrical body member having the usual central water Course il termed therein, provided on its upper end with the usual tapered threaded r soehet l tor the reception ot the threaded JU pin 8 seeuredto the lower end of the drill tube 9. The body member 5 is provided 1n its cylindrical wall with a rectangular recess lll tor the reception of a roaming tool ll, that is rotatably mounted on shaft 12 whose ends are journalled in the end walls 13 and ll ot the recess7 see llig. 23; tool 1l is substantially cylindrical in torni tapering trom its central uortion to its ends, and provided on oe with cutting teeth l5 of any pret'erred lernt llroin an inspection ot the ligures olf the drawing, it will be seen that the 1 cutting or reamin.; tool is disposed at an angle to the longitudinal airis ot the body n1ernto in that the cutter will progreslll". lterial ll'o. lllthlll.

sively increase the diameter ot the hole as the tool descends downwardly.

ln llig. l the tool is illustrated in connection with a drilling bit ot the lish tail?3 type for roaming the well hole simultaneously with the drilling operation, while the tool may be satisfactorily employed in this manner oftentimes it inay be found to be advantageous to lirst drill the well and then enlarge the diameter of the hole, and to this end in Figs. 2 and 3 is illustrated a torni of tool in which a hydraulically operated bearing shoe is substituted for the drill bit.

In this form a cylindrical body member is employed provided on its upper end with a tapered threaded attachment pin 2l, and the usual central water-course 22. The lower end of member 2O is bevelled as at 23 from a point to one side ot the vertical axis upwardly and outwardly and is provided with dove-'tail tongue 2t that engages a correspending groove formed in the contacting inclinedv face ot a bearing shoe 26. rlhe tongue 24 extends upwardly and terminates just below a transversely disposed bore 2l" that connects with the bottom of the water course 22 that registers with the eourse 6 ot member 5, and the groove 25 in the shoe tei minates short ot the upper end to 'form an abutment 28 for moving the shoe into an operative position as will be more tully explained hereinafter.

|The outer vertical. tace of the shoe is pro vided with a plurality of transversely disu posed grooves or water courses 29 tor preventing any stielring action ot the shoe dur-= ing the operation ot the tool.

Secured to the upper end ot the inclined or bevelled tace ot member 20 in any suitable manner is a stop 30 desi ned to limit the upward ino-vement ol the s oe and to bring the transverse bore 3l ot the shoe into register with the transverse here 27 leading trom the water course 22 when the shoe is in operative position.

Should it be lound desirable to enlarge the diameter ot the well to permit the lowering ot the string ot easing the tool can he readily lowered through the easing as the shoe 26 is retraeted to its lowerrnost position and will dll titi

form no impediment to the passage of the tool therethrough (see Fig. 2). When the tool is disposed beyond the lower end of the casing the pumps (not shown) are put into operation to force water downwardly through the central water course, the pressure of the water against the abutment 28 raising the shoe to the position shown in Fig. 2, the outer face ofthe shoe extending beyond the peripheral face of the member 20, thereby forcing the cutter 15 into engagement with the wall of the well. When in this position it will be apparent that on a rota-tion of the tool that the cutter will be forced into engagement with the wall of the well and will readily and quickly ream the same to the required diameter. As soon as the reaming is completed, the water pressure is relieved, whereupon the shoe will slide back into its normal inoperative position, and the tool may then be Withdrawn from the Well.

When the shoe is moved to an operative position the bore of the shoe will be brought into register with the central water course of the body member, thus insuring an adequate supply of water for lubrication and washing away of the well cuttings. Further the shoe will be maintained in operative position during the rotation of the reaming tool by the fluid pressure acting against the abutment.

Vhat I claim is:

1. A rotary hydraulic well reaming tool comprising a cylindrical body member provided with a water course, a reaming cutter mounted on said body member adapted to engage with the wall of the well, and a hydraulically operated shiftable bearing member secured to the body member for forcing the reamer cutter into cutting engagement with the well wall, said shiftable member having a fluid port adapted to register with the water course of the body member when said member is shifted.

2. A rotary well reaming tool comprising a body member provided with a water course therethrough, a cutting member mounted on the wall of the body member, a shiftable bearing member secured to the lower end of said body member having a fluid port adapted to register with the lower end of the water course of the body member when in operative position, and hydraulic means for expanding the expansible member into engagement with the wall of the well, whereby the reaming cutter will be forced into cutting engagement with the Wall of the well to increase its diameter.

3. A rotary hydraulic well reaming tool comprising a body `member provided with a water course, a cutter member rotatably mounted in the wall of the body member, a bearing shoe movably secured to the lower end of the body member, and Huid pressure means for expanding said shoe to force the cutltler into engagement with the wall of the we 4. In a well reaming tool, a cylindrical body member having a water course, a cutter tool rotatively mounted in a recess formed in the wall of said body member, and a shiftable Huid actuated bearing shoe mounted on the end of said body member, the outer face of said shoe when shifted upwardl eXtending beyond the peripheral surface o the body member.

5. In a well reaming tool, a cylindrical body member provided with a water course, a substantially cylindrical cutter tool rotatably mounted in the wall of said body member adapted to engage the wall of the Well when the body member is rotated, and a bearing shoe slidingly mounted on the lower end of said body member having a water discharge bore therein adapted to register with the. water course of the body member when the shoe is moved to an operative position, and fluid pressure means for operating said shoe.

6. In a well reaming tool a body member provided with a water course, a wall cutting tool mounted for rotation in the wall of the body member, a wall bearing shoe slidingly mounted on the lower end of said body member having a bore adapted to register with the Water course of the body member when brought into operative position, said shoe having a recess on its inner face above the bore, whereby when iuid pressure is introduced through the water course of the body member the shoe will be moved upwardly into operative position, the fluid pressure maintaining the shoe in engagement with the wall of the well during the operation of the reaming tool.

7. A rotary well reaming tool comprising a body member provided with a water course therethrough, a bearin shoe having a Huid discharge port adapta? to register with the water course when the shoe is moved to operative osition secured to said body member, and uid pressure means for moving the bearing shoe into engagement with the wall of the well prior to a well reaming operation.

8. A rotary well reaming tool comprising a body member provided with a water course therethrough, a bearing shoe having a recess adapted to register with the water course when the shoe is in an inoperative position secured to said body member, and fluid pressure means discharging through the water course into the shoe recess for moving the bearing shoe into engagement with the wall of the well prior to a Well reaming operation.

9. A rotary hydraulic well reaming tool comprising a bo y member provided with a water course, a side wall cutting member secured to the body member, a shiftable shoe normally disposed adjacent the lower end of said body member, and luid ressure means for shifting said shoe upwar ly to force the cutting member into engagement with the wall of the well. e f

10. In a well `rearning tool, a cylindrical body member having a water course therethrough, a. reaming cutter secured to said body member for enlarging the bore of the well as the drilling progresses, and a fluid actuated bearing shoe shiftably mounted and normally disposed 'at the lower end of said body member, the outer face of said shoe when shifted upwardly extending beyond the peripheral surface of the body member to force the reaming cutter into engagement with the wall of the well. l

11. In a well reaming tool, a cylindrical body member having a water course. therethrough, a reaming cutter secured to said body member for enlargingthe bore of the well as the drilling progresses, and a bearing shoe shiftably mounted on the lower end o said body member having a water discharge bore therein adapted to register with the lower end of the water course of the body member when the shoe is shifted, and fluid pressure means f r shifting said shoe upwarldly into engagement with the wall of the wel i 12. In a well reaming tool; a cylindrical body member having a. water course therethrough, a reaming cutter secured to said ybody member for enlarging the bore of the well as the drilling progresses, a wall bearing shoe shiftably mounted on the lower end of said body member having a bore adapted to register with the water course of the bod mem er when brought into operative posltion, said shoe having a recess on its inner face above the bore, whereby when fluid pressure is introduced through the water course of the body member the shoe will be shifted upwardly into operative position with the wall of the well, the fluid ressure maintaining the shoe in said operative position during the operation of the reamin tool.

In testimony whereof I a x my signature,

WILSON B. WIGLE. 

